How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

First post & yes, I read the guidelines.

My host is a MacBook Pro: (Retina, Mid 2012), 15”, macOS 10.15.7, with 16 GB of Ram
I am running Windows 10 via VirtualBox 6.1.28

My question is how do I get Windows to recognize a USB stick I have connected to the host Mac?
My main, actually sole, purpose in running Windows on my Mac is so that I can download the necessary drivers required to gain full functionality of a USB microscope I plan to purchase. Without those drivers, the functionality of the microscope is severely compromised and it's imperative that I understand how to get Windows to link with/recognize USB devices connected to the Mac.

Many thanks for any assistance.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by scottgus1 »

USB microscope? That's an interesting combination!

Is it a microscope whose 'eyepiece' is a USB camera?

If so, consider whether it would respond as a Webcam, then use the Extension Pack to pass the 'webcam' into the VM https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch09. ... assthrough

Otherwise, carefully go through USB basics and troubleshooting. If you finish all the steps 1-7 and cannot get your USB device into the guest OS, carefully post the outputs of the commands in step 8 as text, not screenshots. Zip and post the logs step 8 call for, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by mpack »

USB microscopes are quite common, and as usual there is a wide spectrum from cheap toys to pretty good. The toys are popular as gifts to kids, and the "pretty good" ones are handy to have as an electronics hobbyist who wants to solder but is old enough to need reading glasses!

A typical example of a mid-priced one:
Capture.jpg
Capture.jpg (44.38 KiB) Viewed 32702 times
On the question of whether it's just a webcam - I would have said yes (basically). So it's hard to understand what additional drivers should be needed on any modern OS. I would expect it to work equally well on the host MacOS and the guest Windows, without drivers.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by scottgus1 »

Fascinating, Mpack! I had no idea such things existed.

Turns out I read the OP a bit too fast though:
Rower Bob wrote:how do I get Windows to recognize a USB stick I have connected to the host Mac? ... so that I can download the necessary drivers
So this is a USB thumb drive with the microscope's drivers, not the scope itself yet.

The easiest way to get the data on the thumb drive into the VM is to use Virtualbox Shared Folders, enabled through Guest Additions, to share the thumb drive root into the VM, so you can copy the driver installer into Windows. https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch04. ... redfolders

Alternatively, copy the drivers to a folder on the Mac then use VSF to share that folder into Windows.

Finally, if you really want the thumb drive itself in Windows, see the USB Basics tutorial above.
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

I despair of ever figuring out what the problem is.
I read the instructions and created a filter for the USB thumb drive.
When I launch Windows 10 with the USB drive inserted, at the top is [Failed to attach the USB Device SanDisk Ultra Fit [0100] to the Virtual Machine Windows 10.

Details are:
Failed to create a proxy device for the USB device (Error: VERR_PDM_NO)USB_PORTS).

Result code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (x80004005)

Component: ConsoleWrap
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by scottgus1 »

Rower Bob wrote:VERR_PDM_NO_USB_PORTS
USB Basics and Troubleshooting, post #5 wrote:VERR_PDM_NO_USB_PORTS
You are trying to use a USB3 device with a guest that does not support USB3 (see the "Guest support" section), or you haven't enabled the USB3 option in the VM settings.
Keep searching that tutorial! :wink: :D
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

OK...back to the tutorial and thanks for pointing me in the correct direction.
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

After some additional careful study of the tutorial, I did this:

Installed Extension Pack 6.1.30r148432

Shut down windows, opened VB Manager, went to Settings/Ports/USB/ and turned on USB 3.0 Controller. With SanDisk inserted and not visible on Mac desktop nor in Disk Utility, I restarted Windows, and my SanDisk connected!

You have no idea how satisfying that was for an 82 year old with zero experiences dealing with Windows.

Back to the Amazon.pages on the USB microscopes to read a bit more about them and the drivers they require. Is downloading and installing drivers on Windows 10 fairly straightforward?

Many thanks for the input
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by mpack »

Rower Bob wrote:After some additional careful study of the tutorial, I did this:
Installed Extension Pack 6.1.30r148432
Well done. Do bear in mind for the future that the extension pack must be kept up to date with the version of VirtualBox you use. I.e. when you update VirtualBox, make sure to update the extension pack right after. It is less important to keep the Guest Additions up to date.
Rower Bob wrote: You have no idea how satisfying that was for an 82 year old with zero experiences dealing with Windows.
I'm impressed. My own parents were of that generation (a couple of years older maybe) but when they were alive they refused to engage with computing in almost any way: no Skype, no online shopping, no browsing, no NetFlix. They had pretty much retired before computers became a thing in every workplace, and they just didn't see the point no matter how much their kids bought them kit, urged their interest etc. I do get why they thought that way - but it's still impressive to see that their attitude doesn't have to be the norm for that entire age group.
Rower Bob wrote: Back to the Amazon.pages on the USB microscopes to read a bit more about them and the drivers they require. Is downloading and installing drivers on Windows 10 fairly straightforward?
Yep, downloading and installing drivers is simple these days, especially if you have admin rights on the PC in question. In fact in many cases you won't have to install drivers at all. That's because Windows 10 comes with built in drivers for most popular devices, especially (in the current climate) including webcams, which is essentially the same thing as your microscope - both are simply USB connected digital video cameras. Even if Windows 10 doesn't have the drivers built in, it will automatically fetch drivers from the Internet if you give it 5 minutes or so, and assuming that you allowed Internet access to the VM. Finally, worst case is that you have to read the manual for the device, and look for the web address where you go to download drivers. You should avoid searching Google for "driver <my device name here>" as the top hits are quite likely to be scam sites. Only go to the official address given in the manual. However you do need admin rights to install drivers downloaded like this. If you don't have admin rights permanently enabled then you have to right click the installer exe and choose "Run as adminstrator" this will prompt you for the password giving temporary admin rights to the installer program.
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

Well, thank you for the encouragement.
I got my first Mac computer when I was about 60 and took to computing like a duck to water: found it absolutely absorbing.
Retired at 60, came back to the office as an independent contractor, worked for 20 more years and finally retired for good at 80.
To keep busy, I am the Apple device "guru" to an aging-in-place retirement community where I help anyone having a problem with any of their Apple devices: computer, iPhone, or iPad, etc.
I also sharpen the knives of anyone who would like that (free) service and that's why I want the USB microscope: to examine in minute detail, I hope, the edges I put on their knives and see what difference using stones of differing grit produce, what effect stropping has, etc.
Thanks again for the help.
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

May I continue this thread or should I begin a new topic with a question like this.
Long story short so as not to waste your time: how do you quit a frozen application in Windows?

Following the instructions that came with the microscope, I downloaded and installed a camera from www.inskam.com/download/camera.zip but can't connect to it.
While trying to connect the camera to the microscope, the camera app froze and I had no idea how to quit a frozen app in Windows.
I followed the VB instructions to the desktop menu sequence Input/Keyboard/Insert Ctrl-Alt-Del.
It brought up the screen with Lock/Sign Out/etc and Task Manager.
Clicking on Task Manager had no effect and so I had to close Windows and reopen it.

So, what should I have done instead?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by scottgus1 »

Task Manager is the usual way to kill a Windows app. Find the stuck app in the list, or you may have to go to the "More details" button and expand the view, then find the app in the Processes tab, then click End Task on the lower right.

But maybe there is a simpler way to get you going. What model number of scope do you have?
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

The details on the microscope are here
https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-Magni ... B07PVMRZQH?

Perhaps I was not clear on my last post regarding Task Manager. I was able to get to the Window in which Task Manager was among the choices but, clicking on either Task Manager or any of the other choices there failed to produce any result, nor was I unable to close out the window itself.

In that situation in a Mac I would have tried Command+Option+Escape and, if that failed, I would have to force a shutdown by holding down the power key.

Thanks for the offer of help with the microscope-computer connection/use.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by mpack »

As Scott says, find the stuck app in the "Details" tab. Right click the list entry and choose "End task" or "End process tree" (I prefer the latter, in case the task in question spawned sub tasks).

If your video viewer has a tendency to lock up then hunt around for a better one. You may have to pay to get one that has had more than 5 seconds thought put into it. A lot of the really cheap Chinese vendors are still suggesting incredibly old (90's era) demo apps from the Windows DirectX SDK.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by scottgus1 »

Sounds like you could not get the Task Manager to open in the Ctrl-Alt-Del window. You can also get the Task Manager by right-clicking an empty space on the Windows Taskbar: one of the popup menu choices is to open the Task Manager.

But re the microscope: The Amazon ad shows that this microscope is compatible with Mac OS's:
The Amazon ad wrote:App Provided: Optional software for IOS, Android, Windows 7 8 10 XP, OS X.
...
For MacBook, please use Macbooks’ bundled software Photo Booth or Quick Time Player directly.
It appears that the device is a webcam with fancy optics. So the links provided above about webcam passthrough or USB Basics should both work to get the microscope into the VM. Note that with apparent Mac support you may not have to do this, though: you should be able to run the scope on the Mac without any VM.
Post Reply